Maternal
by kevin the bird
Summary: Whenever there was a child involved in a mission and the gang couldn't bring along a parent to get said child back, Madeline would come along. Despite her tough exterior, everyone knew that Madeline was a very maternal person and Michael, Sam, Jesse and Fi all knew that Madeline could keep up with them, so they brought her. /very au, very corny, very unlike any of the characters.


Whenever there was a child involved in a mission and the gang couldn't bring along a parent to get said child back, Madeline would come along. Despite her tough exterior, everyone knew that Madeline was a very maternal person and Michael, Sam, Jesse and Fi all knew that Madeline could keep up with them, so they brought her so she could keep the child safe while they finished their business. They knew Madeline had the most experience with children, but they also knew she was a good asset to have, so it was a win/win situation for everyone.

During one mission, Madeline was brought in to pick up an infant, who had been taken because his parents hadn't paid a loan shark for the mother's treatment. Fi would have taken care of him, but she was needed, which is why Madeline was there in the first place. Madeline had immediately agreed when she heard that an infant had been taken. She hadn't met the parents, but she really felt for them, which was a huge reason why she agreed to come along. She could only imagine the fear they felt.

Madeline didn't know the entire plan, all she knew was that she was going to go in with Jesse after Fiona blew an opening in the wall and get the baby. Jesse would then go help the rest of the gang with the men that had taken the baby.

When the time came, all five of them piled into a van and drove to the deserted building the men were in. Everyone got out when they pulled up and Fiona immediately started placing her C4 where it was suppose to be. In a matter of minutes there was a hole in the wall and everyone walked in, going where they were suppose to. Jesse and Madeline went to find the baby and Sam, Michael and Fi started scooping out where the men were.

Jesse had managed to find the layout of the building through his security job and the gang knew from experience that the baby was probably away from the men, in case something like this were to happen and so they didn't have to listen to the constant crying of a baby. Michael, Sam and Fi had also seen the floor plan and knew what they were doing, but they needed to make sure that the men hadn't set up extra security that they needed to know about. So far, it didn't look like they had. They seemed to be amateurs because Madeline and Jesse quickly found the baby, who was crying loudly. He was wrapped in a very thin blanket in a very poorly made crib. Madeline quickly walked over to him and picked up the five-month-old baby.

"It's okay, sweetheart," she said softly as she rested the baby against her chest. She grabbed another blanket that was in the corner of the crib and placed it against the baby in her arms. Despite the fact that these men had taken the baby for ulterior motives, they seemed fairly prepared to take care of him because they had formula, diapers and things you typically needed for a baby. Jesse started collecting everything he figured Madeline would need as Madeline continued to try to get the baby to stop crying.

"You ready, Maddie?" he asked when he grabbed everything and put it in a diaper bag he had found. Madeline looked up at Jesse and nodded her head. They quickly walked out of the room and made their way to where they came in. When they made it to the hole that Fiona had blasted, Jesse passed Madeline the diaper bag. Madeline took the bag and threw the strap over her shoulder.

"Will you be okay?" Jesse asked. He, like the rest of the gang, was very protective of Madeline.

"I'll be fine, honey," Madeline said as she rested her hand on Jesse's upper arm and rubbed it affectionately. "I practically raised Nate and Michael myself." Jesse nodded his head and went off to find the rest of the gang while Madeline walked back to the car, softly shushing the crying baby in her arms. When she made it to the car, she opened up the passenger door and got in. The baby's screaming had quieted down, but he was still crying. "Do you need a diaper change, sweetheart?" she said softly as she rested the baby against her legs and slowly peeled the blankets and clothes off the baby. She then proceeded to change the baby's diaper, which seemed to be the problem. When Madeline put the baby's clothes back on and rewrapped him in his blankets, he stopped crying. "That's better, isn't it?" The baby smiled up at Madeline as she kept the baby in her lap. The baby's eyes started drooping from all the crying and Madeline noticed this and started rubbing the baby's stomach softly, pushing him even closer to sleep. Just then, Sam, Michael, Fi and Jesse all came running out of the building and noisily got into the car. Madeline stopped them before the the baby started screaming again, but she was too late. His eyes fluttered open and he started crying again. She quickly shushed them and picked the baby up so she was cradling him.

"He was just about to fall asleep," she said when she got their attention.

"Sorry, Ma," Michael said and the rest of the gang chorused their apologies. "Is he okay, though?" he asked. Madeline moved the baby so he was resting against her body and started rubbing the baby's back comfortingly as she looked over at her son.

"Hmm?" she breathed. "Yeah, he's fine. Just tired," she said as the baby cuddled close to her body for more heat. Despite being inside the building where the men where and having a blanket, it wasn't enough. Infants needed more heat then what he had been getting. "And a little cold," she added as she smiled at the baby, who tried to stay awake. He was fighting against falling asleep, which was a tell tale sign of being overtired. "I think he's over tired. He looks like he's fighting it," Madeline noted. "Driving might help and I'm sure his parents are worried sick." Michael started the car and drove off, knowing full well to listen to his mother when it came to babies. If seeing Charlie when Nate came to visit from Vegas taught him anything, it was that he knew nothing about babies and that his mother knew more about them then he ever would know. Silence fell over the car as they drove the few miles from where they had just been back to where they had left the parents at Madeline's house. They were there in under five minutes when Michael pulled the van into the drive way. Everyone climbed out of the car and made their way into the house. Michael, being the first one to the door, opened it for everyone and let his mother walk in first. The parents rushed to the door when they realized who it was. When they noticed Madeline walk in first with their baby boy safe and asleep, they rushed to her, both of them sobbing happily. Madeline carefully transferred the baby to his mother.

"Thank you so much," she said as she looked at Madeline and smiled. "For everything. Going with them to get him, getting him to fall asleep," she added. The new parents had been having a hard time getting their son to fall asleep at a decent time. He was really colic-y and they didn't know how what to do. Granted, they were still new parents. Madeline couldn't help but to laugh softly to herself.

"It's fine," she said as she smiled at the new parents. "He was just a little over-tired is all," she added. That's when Michael walked up to his mother and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He never showed this kind of affection for his mother, but watching her with the baby was something he never got to see. Granted, he had seen her with her grandchild, but that was only once. Madeline looked up at Michael and smiled as she wrapped her arm around Michael's waist. Michael pulled her in closer for a side hug. Madeline reciprocated the hug as she rested her head on his chest, both of them happy that the baby had been brought home safe.


End file.
